Apparatus for making boiler-heads



(No Model) .2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Hi. WARDEN.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING'EOILER' HEADS. No. 377,791. Pat-entedjFeb 1-4, 1888.

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2 SheetsSheet 2.

Patented Feb. 14, 1888,

)lnvenhw w NITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WARDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOILER' HEAD S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 120.377.7911., dated February 14, 1888.

Application filed July 9, 1887.- Serial No. 243,825. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WARDEN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improved Apparatus for Making Boiler-Heads, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for the manufacture of boiler-heads or tube-sheets, and especially for the manufacture of boiler-heads of a dished form, such as are described in an application for a patent filed at the same time with this application; and my invention consists in the hereinafter-described and claimed combinations of mechanism, whereby the sheet to be converted into-a boiler-head is flanged and punched for the reception of the tubes, or flanged, dished, and punched, or flanged, dished, indented, and punched, as the case may be. 7

Reference is now had to the drawings, which illustrate my invention, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of my preferred form of apparatus for flanging, dishing, indenting, and punching a boilerhead. Fig. 2 shows the same apparatus with modifications in the mechanism which has the function of punching and indenting the boiler-head. Fig. 3 shows the dies which form the indentation and the punch, as used in the machine shown by Fig. l, on a larger scale. Fig. 4 isa similar enlarged view of the dies and punch of Fig. 2, and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate various modifications which may be made in the construction of my improved apparatus.

A is a die or former, upon which the sheet to be formed into a boiler-head is flanged, or flanged and dished. It is also when of dished form preferably provided with die-faces a for indenting the dished sheet, as hereinafter described, and is always perforated, as at a a, &c., for the entrance of the punches which cut the tube-holes in the boiler-head. I prefer to make the die-former A movable, securing it on a piston-rod, B, which is actuated by a piston or plunger in a cylinder, 0, which is operated, preferably, by hydraulic power.

E is a ring or die having its lower edge, e,

flared or rounded outward and its upper in 1 her portion, 6, substantially parallel to the line in which the piston B moves, and of a figure corresponding to the shape of the outer edge of the die A and of such dimensions as to clear the die A by a distance equal to the thickness of the finishedflange formedon the boiler-head. The die or ring E is preferably secured permanently to the frame of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

F is a die dished concavely when used with A a dished former-die, A, and having its inner surface of an outline corresponding to the convex surface of the former. Its most important funotionis to guide the punches G and-preventthem from springing out of line with the holes a, and to support the flat-faced annular dies f, through which the punches'pass' As is shown in Fig. 2, the dies f maybe omitted,

and the recesses a in the die Aserve, in consheet, or the punch may be made to out directly into an uninden'ted tube-sheet. The dieF has also the useful function of smoothing out any inequalities or wrinkles in the tube-sheet, this being accomplished by the clamping of the sheet between the dies A and F, and being of more importance where the tube-sheet is flat than where it is curved. In my preferred construction, as shown in Fig. -1, the die F is secured on the piston-rod J of a hydraulic cylinder or other actuating-cylinder, K, and the punches G are secured to a stationary plate, H, fastened upon the frame .of the machine. A very obvious modification of this arrangenection with the punches G, to indent the tube ment is shown inFig/2, the die F being here rigid, and the supporting -plate H, with its punches G, being attached to the piston-rod J, while in Fig. 5 both the punches G and die F are movable.

I, L, and M represent the frame-work I machine, which may be of any ordinary construction.

N is the sheet-metal plate to be converted into a boiler-head. 7 Q The operation of my machine is easily understood. Referring to the construction of apparatus shownin Fig. 1 and following its operation, the sheet N, properly heated, is placed upon the top of the former A, which, by means of thepiston B, is then forced through the die or ring E, the pressure fore too ing the plate to conform to the outline of the former and turning its edges into a cylindrical or other shaped flange. After thus flanging and dishing the plate N the former A moves forward until it reaches the die F and presses the plate into it. Here the dies f and recesses a indent the dished surface of the plate N, forming flat-bottomed indentations where the tube-holes are to be out, and preferably one for each tube-hole, though theseindentations may be made in the form of annular rings or depressions in the die A, to form indentations for concentric rows of tube-holes. After the dished plateN is indented as above described, the former A is moved forward and the die F backward, each at or about the same rate. This movement causes the stationary punches G to pass through the holes in the annular diesf and into thepunch-holes a in the former A, thus cutting out the tube-holes in the depressions formed in the dished head, which is then finished and ready for use. All of these operations are performed rapidly and continuously, and may thus be effected at a single heat. \Vhere itis not desired to make a dished head, the apparatus may be used with a flatfaced former, A, and flat die F, and of course in such case there will be no occasion for indenting the plate and the dies a and f will be omitted.

In the modified apparatus shown in Fig. 2 the die F is permanently fixed upon the frame of the machine, and the punching of the tubeholes is performed by the piston J acting upon and moving forward the punches G. This plan is equally practicable with that shown in hole may be punched in the indented surface' of the dished head, if desired.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown modifications of my apparatus which, differing in many respects from my preferred form, still embody the main features of my invention, which said main features consist in certain instrumentalities having a certain consecutive relative order of use and coaction, and are therefore not limited to any particular devices for moving the parts. I11 Fig. 5 the former A is stationary and the die E is secured to the pistonrods of cylinders P I.v The die F is secured to rods from cylinders O O, and the plate H, supporting the punches G, to the rod of another cylinder, K. As thus constructed the die or ring E is moved down over the former A, to flange and dish the plate N. The die F then moves down to clamp the dished head upon the former A and indent it, as before described, and the punches G follow, to cut out the tube holes, the relative operation of all the parts being identical with their operation in the plans first described, as is also the case with the construction shown in Fig. 6, where the. former A is movable, as is also the die or ring E and die F,'while His fixed. 7

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for flang'ing and punching boiler-heads, the combination of a former, A, having perforations a, a die, E, guiding-die F, and punches G, passing through the die F, said elements being arranged to move relatively to each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and punching boiler-heads, the combination of a convex former, A, having perforations a, a die, E, guiding-dieF, and punches G, passing through the die F, said elements being arranged to move relatively to each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and punching boiler-heads, the combination of a convex former, A, having perforations a, sur

rounded by flat die-surfaces a, a die, E, guiding-die F, and punches G,'passing through the die F, said elements being arranged to move relatively to each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and punching boiler-heads, the combination of a convex former, A, having perforations a, surrounded by flat die-surfaces a, a die, E, guiding-die F, having annular fiat-faced diesf secured upon it, and punches G, passing through the annular diesf upon the die F, said elements being arranged to move relatively to each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a machine for fianging and punching boiler-heads, the combination of the movable former A, having punch-holes a, the stationary die E, the guiding-die F, and punches G, passing through perforations in the guiding-die,

said punches and guiding-die being relatively movable, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a machine for flanging and punching boiler-heads, the combination of the movable former A, having punch-holes a, the stationary die E, the movable guiding-die F, and stationary punches G, passing through perforations in the guiding-die, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and punching boiler-heads, the combination of the movable convex former A, having punch-holes a, the stationary die E, the movable guidingdie F, and the stationary punches G, passing through perforations in the die F, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and punching boiler-heads, the combination of the movable convex former A, having punch-holes a, surrounded by flat die surfaces or, the stationary die E, the movable guiding-die F, havr0 tionary die E, the movable guiding-die F, and ing annular dies f secured thereon, and the the stationary punches G,passing through perstationary punches G, passing through perfoforations in the die E, all substantially as and rations in the annular dies f on die F, all su'b-v 5 for the purpose specified. stantially as and for the purpose specified- 9. In a machine for flanging, dishing, and HENRY WARDEN. punching boiler-heads, the combination of the Witnesses: V movable convex former A, having punch-holes LISLE STOKES,

a, surrounded by flat die-surfaces a, the sta- JOSHUA MATLAOK, Jr. 

